March is admittedly one of my favorite months of the year. If you’re Irish or Irish-for-a-day like me, there is St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th. The weather begins to warm up and Spring “officially” begins on March 20th. My wife and I celebrate our birthdays on March 23rd and March 25th respectively. And basketball fans at the high school and collegiate levels have “March Madness” to look forward to with State & NCAA Tournament games to watch.

Despite all these other activities, there is another March event that Christians anticipate even more. This year it began on February 14th and continues through March 25th—Ash Wednesday through Palm Sunday. This time of the year is more commonly referred to as the Season of Lent. It is the time of the year when Christians prepare for Easter and celebrate Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil. It is the time of the year when we are once again reminded that no matter how badly we’ve messed things up, Jesus “7 made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8)”

Lent reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice Christ made on our behalf. His love for us is so powerful that He willingly sacrificed His own life on the cross of Calvary in order to save ours. Even though we in no way deserve anything, Jesus endured the torture, suffering, and madness of death by crucifixion to spare us all. So enjoy the month of March and be forever mindful of the wonderful gift you’ve been given—the gift of eternal life in heaven through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.